


100 Days Of Alistair

by andrasteshaircurlers



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-05-06 09:12:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5411198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andrasteshaircurlers/pseuds/andrasteshaircurlers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>100 day themes prompt. Alistair Style. (Some will be short and some will be long.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little Alistair encounters Cailan.

“Greetings your majesty” eight year old Alistair stands before the boy they tell him is his brother. And he can see it. Alistair can almost see it. The other boy is thirteen and already handsome. Much more handsome then Alistair is sure he will be at that age. 

Perhaps that’s why Maric does not want him. He already has a better version. No, he reminds himself. You are a bastard. Nobody wants a bastard. You should never have been born. 

Some part of him wants Cailan to recognize him. To call him brother. To take him away on one of the big horses and make him a prince. No that is silly. But then Alistair is just a silly boy. He is told that often enough. He is lucky he pulled off the proper greeting without messing things up. 

Still, when the other boy completely ignores him “Oh swords!” He feels that unconformable feeling in his chest again. Alistair watches him run off as he hands Alistair the reigns of his horse to water and groom. There Alistair. See? There is your place. He tells himself. 

The unconformable feeling is growing stronger, so he leaves the horse without taking care of it. He will get yelled at for that later but he mustn’t let them see him. The feeling rises to a roar as he runs to the kennels, past the half blind and deaf kennel master. 

Alistair throws himself into the tangle of dogs just as the tears start to pour out. He feels their tongues lick them away and soon he has calmed down. It’s okay. He thinks. He’s ok. It will all be ok. He will just hide in here for however long he can. And, he notes to himself, he will not be bidding his brother goodbye. 


	2. Rivalry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A misunderstanding makes Alistair think the warden is in a relationship with Zevran.

The Sword came at Alistair from the side. His own blade rushed up to meet it. Alistair Theirin bashed a darkspawn to pieces desperately as he heard the telltale roar of an ogre. “Sounds like trouble!” He yelled as he used a foot to pry his blade from a genlock’s bloody corpse. 

“Trouble!?” The crisp female voice was accompanied by a flash of red ponytails beside him. “Oh no. This? This is fun!” 

There was nothing like watching a small red-haired woman take down a giant ogre like it was nothing. He had even gotten used to her slightly disturbing laughter afterward. In fact, he was pretty sure he was standing there grinning like an idiot when the cave in started.

They ran. Alistair, Zevran, And Torania, 

“Nothing like a cave in to end a good fight no?” The assassin seemed nonpulsed by the fact that they were running for their lives.

“Yes this is exactly what I wanted,” Alistair drawled. He still was not sure if he liked the Antivan elf. “Being buried alive in rock would make such a nice end to the day don’t you think?”

“I would like to clarify that this was not my fault! I blame the ogre!” Torania put in.

Then the rock hit Zevran. The antivan elf stumbled and Torania grabbed him. “Shite! Lean on me!”

“It is no use dear warden! I fear my time with you has come to an end.”

Did... Did he always take such a from earlier tone with Torania?

“It will come to an end when I say it comes to and end. suck it up you are not leaving me. No one I love is allowed to leave me!”

Love? Did she say love?

As they reached the outside of the cave Alistair felt like one of the stones had somehow made it’s way inside him. Perhaps more then one. Alright a lot of stones. He... He really should have expected this. Just because the elf was an assassin... and had tried to kill them... He and Torania did get along rather well Alistair really should have seen this something. Of... Of course they were together. Who else would she be with? Him? Of course not him.

That night in camp he cornered the elf. “I uh... Congratulations”

“Thank you! But which one of many things are we congratulating me for?”

Alistair tried to swallow the lump in his throat

“For... her...”

“Her? I do not understand?”

Suddenly anger started to rise “You know what I’m talking about... You and her...”

“Our dear warden and I what?”

“You know! Together!” His voice was raised now. He quieted it. “Take good care of her. She’ll try to pretend she doesn't need it, but make sure you do. I’ll be watching.”

Zevran blinked at him before chuckling. “My friend I’m afraid you have made a bit of a mistake. You see our dear warden has no interest in this kind of thing with me... I believe she threatened to break my nose if I stared at her rather glorious behind.”

Alistair felt like an idiot, A happy idiot, but an idiot. “you are not together?”

“No... In fact I believe she might have her eye on someone else...” Zevran eyed him meaningfully. “Getting her to realize it... that is another task entirely.”

Suddenly Alistair felt... well... really really good... “I um...” He cleared his throat. “I’m just going to go er... practice with my pike now.”

And grinning he did just that.


	3. Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alistair has doubts about being worthy of the warden.

“I’m not the best fighter,” Alistair blurted out the words abruptly. “You know that right?”  
Torania raised a brow as she looked at him in the slight darkness of camp “Well, obviously. I am.”  
“Yes, I mean I know… but…” He paused. It was scary, terrifying even to drop the jocularity. Making people laugh made them like you… this kind of thing… well it did not.

“Torania…what is a woman like you doing with a man like me” He finally blurted out the words.  
“A man like you? What do you mean?” She asked tilting her head to the side, ponytails askew.  
“Do you want me to recite my long list of flaws? That could take awhile.”  
“I bet mine’s longer. One of them is being much too competitive, like right now”  
“I just mean… you are amazing, and wonderful, and ravishing…”  
“And?”  
“I’m… well… me.”  
“And?”  
“You are not making this easy woman.”  
She scooted closer to him on the log. Alistair could feel his heart start to race as she reached his side. Then she took his bowed chin in one hand and turned his face to meet her own.  
“Alistair.” She caressed his name as the word left her mouth. “You are worried about not being good enough are you not? I don’t know if you will ever believe me or anyone who tells you so. But I will keep telling you so that you know I feel this way. You are beyond good enough. “  
She held his eyes with her own. “Do you honestly think I need a man who can outfight me? Where would I even find one!? Yes Alistair. I want a strong man. But you see, I believe I found the strongest man in the world.”  
As she reached a hand into his shirt and placed it over his heart he could feel it speeding up a mile a minute. Strongest man in the world? No no no no no not him.  
“Here,” Torania said the word in a low whisper that sent a shiver up his spine.  
Then she had caught his amber eyes with her black ones once again. And she had moved onto his lap.  
“Alistair I was broken. When my family died, I was broken. I had not laughed or smiled till I met you at Istagar. Until you made me laugh again. I’m not saying you fixed me. People have to fix themselves. But you were like a light. Something I could reach towards in all the darkness. Then you lost your family as well. The wardens. I was sure you would break like me. But you didn’t! You were sad of course. But you kept making me laugh. That light did not go out. I swore then I would never let that light go out. Ever. There is even more. You’ve taught me strength doesn’t have to be hard and tough. Sometimes it can be soft and gentle. Sometimes that is what takes the most strength at all.”  
She kissed his forehead and he shut his eyes. No he would not cry.  
“Alistair a man like you, with a strong heart, is what a woman like me needs most of all.”  
Torania paused for a moment before continuing “For a strong body… Well I’m bloody brilliant and you are not too bad all things taken into account. For the mind… Well we both do well enough aside from our occasional bouts of idiocy. And of course- Mrph!”  
She broke of as he pulled the wonderful, wonderful woman into a tight hug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written while Ill. I might revise it at some point because such a good prompt. But I'm not capable of it atm.


	4. Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was not prepared for how monstrous it would look....

He wants nothing more than to run away. Maker’s breath, he always pictured himself fighting the darkspawn valiantly. Like a hero. Like someone worthy. That’s what he wanted to do. That’s what he should do. He’s a warden right? 

Who was he fooling? Well besides himself. Him? being a hero? No, Alistair is more likely to trip over his own feel than anything else. 

He is vaguely aware of the other wardens shouting. but it’s just ringing in his ears. 

It’s like a skull, the face in front of him. A skull covered in dark rotting flesh As it yells he can see it’s pointed teeth. What does it need those for? Do darkspawn even eat? 

These are not the questions he should be asking himself as it’s blade descends upon him. While can’t even seem to find the courage, in the face of that roaring monster, to lift his blade to block it. 

This is the end. Goodbye Alistair, he could not even lift his blade because he was a coward. 

And yet… Alistair wants to live.

He doesn’t know where the strength comes from. Certainly not him? It couldn’t be from him could it? He lifts his blade Every bit of him is frozen in terror. Every bit of him is telling him he cannot move. He can’t do it. And yet… He does.

He follows up on instinct, using his strength to knock his opponent of balance when the darkspawn does not move back and disengage their blades in time. It is almost like he is back in the templar training grounds. He can nearly hear the instructor’s voice hollering in his ear. Follow up with a shield bash. Alistair slams his shield so heard into the darkspawn’s face he hears the sickening sound of crunching bone. He looks in disbelief at the darkspawn as it falls. His first darkspawn. He killed it! He did! The corpse is monstrous to be sure. But perhaps, he thinks, maker willing, he won’t be freezing up anymore.


	5. First Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cheese?

Alistair pokes it with a pudgy little finger. It feels odd… smooth… food does not usually feel smooth, unless you have to peel it. “It’s food but it makes uncle sick?” Food isn’t supposed to make people sick. Well not unless you eat too much of it.

“That’s right.” The woman looks exasperated. Probably at having to put up with his idiocy. He should apologize now. Instead he says “It smells good.” Alistair’s stomach growls.

“It had better! This is the finest of cheeses sent all the way from Antiva! I don’t know why the Arl is wasting it on the likes of you!”

“It’s for me?” He asks. Alistair’s face lights up. See the Arl cares about him! Really! He does!

The woman shoves it into the little boy’s grubby hands disgustedly before turning to walk away and Little Alistair clutches his prize to his chest.  He finds a quiet corner then he takes his first bite. Flavor explodes in the little boy’s mouth. This is so much better then what he normally eats! He pictures himself in Antiva… that’s by the sea right? He pictures himself in the Ocean; he images what a place that made this food must have been like. He imagines being a brave explorer who goes there. Instead of just Alistair. Little Alistair who nobody wants.

Alistair likes cheese. He likes cheese a lot.


	6. Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. The first time they hold hands.

She grabs his hand and Alistair's mind explodes. Which probably is not a good thing considering they are mid battle. “Look out!” She yanks him toward her but Torania is a small woman and he a man in heavy armor. Her pull does not come in time to stop the large flaming tree branch from striking his leg.

He lets out a yell of pain, and his hand slips from hers. He stays upright though. Alistair is proud of that at least.

“Bloody maker! Blast blast blast” For a moment he thinks she is yelling at him for being so stupid.

Then her red head whips around her wide black eyes meeting his and Alistair sees the concern and calculation in them. He feels horrible. This is all his fault. and then Torania looks him straight in the eyes. He doesn’t see pity, He doesn’t see blame. He doesn’t see judgment or any of the things that should be there. Instead what Alistair sees is a mix of intensity and resolve. 

“Alistair listen to me. I order you not to die.” She grabs his hand the one holding the sword and he suddenly feels very warm. Is she going to take his blade? No. She is lifting his arm. 

“They’re coming. We’re alone, You are hurt.” Her black eyes bore into his. 

“You are going to fight anyway. you are going to be majestic and we are both going to get out of this together. Above all you are absolutely, positively, not going to die. That is a command.” 

She believes what she is saying. He can see it in her face. Suddenly Alistair realises she is right. He is not going to die. They are going to fight this through together. He raises his shield turning to face the darkspawn. Torania is beside him, blades drawn. 

And then the darkspawn are upon them. He ignores the pain in his leg, focusing on staying alive. His blade slashes into the creatures ichor spewing all over him. Torania is of course Torania. They creatures fall to her almost as soon as they approach. 

The sizzling sound of magic crosses the fight and he can suddenly see Torania lifted up off her feet held in the darkspawn emissary’s magical grasp as it drains her.

He tries to get to the emissary. But there are more darkspawn between them and he is slow, his leg a dead weight.

“Hey!” he calls trying to attract the attention of the darkspawn to himself. “You smell great. Is that death you’re wearing? It really suits you.”

Several focus on him now but not the mage.

Are her eyes closed? It’s killing her! 

He lets out a roar, shield bashing one of the darkspawn as the spell used on Torania ends. She falls in a heap and the emissary turns on him. He’s fighting three darkspawn at once now. An emissary is not going to be helpful. 

Is she alive? Please let her be alive. She should have ordered herself not to die as well he thinks desperately.

The emissary leers at him, it’s mouth twisting into what on a human would be a smile. Then it starts to cast, staff raised high in the air.

The blade that runs the monster through is an old one, covered in dents and scratches. As the emissary falls Torania withdraws her blade from behind with a grunt of effort. 

“Bloody mages.” She looks up, face blood stained, hair matted with sweat. 

How has he never noticed how beautiful she is?

She strikes out at the three remaining darkspawn. Together they dispatch the monsters. 

Then she sheaths her blade and holds out both arms to him, grinning. 

“See! What did I say!? Majestic!”

Abruptly she sits down on the ground eyelids fluttering. “Blasted… bloody… mages…”

He blinks down at her. “That was impressive.. erm… are you alright?”

“Hmmmm? fine.” She falls over onto her side and curls up. “Just…. tired…”

Alistair swallows and then comes to a decision. “Torania?”

“Mmmm?”

“You like me right?”

“Mmmm.”

“Right then just… just don’t stab me. Please.”

He picks her up. She’s small and light it’s not like it’s hard.

It seems to take a moment for the female warden to realise what has happened. Then her eyes fly open 

“Alistair! What are you doing!”

“Bringing you back to camp”

The fact that she has not tried to force him to set her down alarms him most of all.

“Put me down!”

“Um… no. Sorry.”

“Alistair you put me down right now!”

“Sorry.”

“Alistair put me… I will stab you!”

“I don’t think you will.”

There is a long silence. “They can’t… see me like this… when we get there… help me walk.”

“I will. Don’t worry.”


End file.
